Geranium plant named ‘KLEPP06122’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy  Geranium  plant named ‘KLEPP06122’, characterized by its outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit; freely branching habit; freely and early flowering habit; double orange red-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium peltatum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KLEPP06122’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘KLEPP06122’.

The new Ivy Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Stuttgart, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching and uniform Ivy Geranium cultivars with early flowering habit and attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Ivy Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Stuttgart, Germany in July, 2002 of a proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum identified as code number P 20 035, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum identified as code number F 501, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar KLEPP06122 was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Stuttgart, Germany in June, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Ivy Geranium by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Stuttgart, Germany since September, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Ivy Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar KLEPP06122 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘KLEPP06122’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘KLEPP06122’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely and early flowering habit.     -   4. Double orange red-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Geranium are not as vigorous as plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Geranium and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have bright red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Geranium are less compact than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Geranium and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium peltatum cultivar Royal Red, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Stuttgart, Germany, plants of the new Ivy Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Royal Red in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium were not as compact as plants         of the cultivar Royal Red.     -   2. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium and the cultivar Royal Red         differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Royal Red had         dark red-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Ivy Geranium, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproduction of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Ivy Geranium. The photograph is a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘KLEPP06122’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Stuttgart, Germany in 12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse during the spring and under conditions which closely approximate commercial Geranium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 23° C., night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 16° C. and light levels ranged from 20,000 lux to 50,000 lux. Plants were about three months old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium peltatum cultivar KLEPP06122. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Pelargonium peltatum identified as code number P 20 035, not             patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium             peltatum identified as code number F 501, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures of 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 16 days             at temperatures of 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 20 days             at temperatures of 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant/growth habit.—Outwardly spreading to trailing plant             habit, mounding; densely foliated. Moderately vigorous             growth habit. Freely basal branching habit with about four             to five lateral branches per plant.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 20 cm to 26 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of leaves.—About 18 cm to 23 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 20 cm to 23 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 6 cm to 8 cm. Internode             length: About 0.8 cm to 1.2 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             137B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 4 cm to 5 cm.         -   Width.—About 6 cm to 8 cm.         -   Shape.—Reniform.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous, rough.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 137A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 137C. Fully developed, upper             surface: 147A; venation, 137C. Fully developed, lower             surface: 137C; venation, 137D. Zonation pattern: Distance             from leaf margin: About 2 cm. Width: About 0.6 mm. Color:             177A. Petiole: Length: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Rough. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: 137B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Double rotate flowers arranged in             rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils.             Umbels displayed above the foliage on strong peduncles.             Flowers face upright to outward; flowers slightly cupped.             Flowers not persistent. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 12 to 16             flower buds and open flowers per umbel; about five to eight             umbels per plant.         -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In             the garden in Stuttgart, Germany, flowering is continuous             from spring until frost in autumn.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last five to six days             on the plant.         -   Umbel height.—About 8 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 6 cm to 10 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3 cm to 4 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 1 cm to 2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 6             mm to 8 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Color: 137A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About 10 to 14. Length: About             1.5 cm. Width: About 1.2 cm to 1.3 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When             opening, upper surface: 41A. When opening, lower surface:             41C. Fully opened, upper surface: 43A; towards the base,             41A; venation, 41A; color becoming closer to 41A with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: 41C; venation,             41A.         -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: None to about five. Length:             About 3 mm to 8 mm. Width: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Shape:             Irregularly shaped. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: 41A. When             opening, lower surface: 41C. Fully opened, upper surface:             41A; towards the base, 41C; venation, 41A; color becoming             closer to 41A with development. Fully opened, lower surface:             41C; venation, 41A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 8 mm to 10 mm. Width: About 4 mm to             6 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth. Texture, lower             surface: Rough. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 137B.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 12 cm to 15 cm.             Diameter: About 6 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly erect.             Texture: Rough. Color: 137A.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2 cm to             3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong.             Angle: Erect to about 110° C. from vertical. Texture: Rough.             Color: 137A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About five. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Ovate.             Anther color: 49A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             33A.         -   Gynoecium.—Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 8 mm to 10 mm. Stigma shape: Tapering; reflexed.             Stigma color: 57C. Style length: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Style             color: 57D. Ovary color: 149D.         -   Seed.—Seed development has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ivy     Geraniums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have been     observed to tolerate rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about     8° C. to about 31° C. and have demonstrated good garden performance. 

1. A new and distinct Ivy Geranium plant named ‘KLEPP06122’ as illustrated and described. 